Sea-based air power of the US Navy does not require other countries' permission to use their fields near hot-spots around the globe. Just load the supplies and weapons, launch the ship, land the planes shortly afterward, and get underway! They operate in international waters and are the first thing the commander-in-chief asks for when a crisis starts. "Where are the carriers?"
The USS Constitution embodies the very spirit and tradition of the US Navy's 200+ year history which I was proud to be a part of.
Last modified: 24-July-2007